You Asked for Perfect

This is a book of privilege. A clearly high class teenager is struggling with high school to get accepted into one of the most privileged universities in the world. Yikes! Am I supposed to feel sympathy for him?
Everything is an utter disaster. There romance is weird and I did not feel the two of them as a couple at all. The high school where everyone is so stupidly smart that they take multiple AP classes (yet another stupidity of the American educational system) is just bizarre.
Sook, Ariel's best friend, is even worse. Her privilege manifests in not wanting to go to an Ivy League college because her parents did and she wants to be a musician.

I know... I know...

This is all real. 100% There are privileged brats that are like this but something being true to reality doesn't mean I am going to root for them. This book made me actively hate the protagonist and most of the cast except for Malka. Even Ariel's parents are just stupid.

Nope.
0% sympathy.

Also the CONSTANT references to Harry Potter in an LGBT book is just disgusting. I had to check when this was published and nope this was well in time for it to be clear that Harry Potter being mentioned would be yikes.

The extra star is for relatability. Struggling with school is rough. Most people experience it. Most people aren't secure, applying to guaranteed-wealth colleges, and they aren't absolutely a-holes to everybody around them...

I thought this was a really sweet story. The characters were well developed. I was even fine with some of the more sappy/unrealistic romance tropes because I was just honestly rooting for them. I think the best part for me was the way the main characters reached major realizations. I also read this right before starting my final year of grad school, so the theme of doing your best without ruining your life and health resonated with me!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

To start, I should say I really liked this book. It flew by me and I was done before I knew it. I sat down to start it, not expecting to finish it, not expecting to become invested so heavily in the characters, and yet when I noticed I was close to the end of the book I was shocked.

This book takes a heavy look at the stress and pressures we put on youth to be perfect and get into the ‘best' universities. These pressures are real and while I don't think many youths are feeling the extent of the pressure listed here, that doesn't mean it isn't present or even thought of. Getting into colleges is getting increasingly difficult with all the expectations there are: not only good grades, but also volunteer experience, proof of school involvement, and extracurricular activities. There is a huge toll for getting into college and then on top of it, the cost of school is ridiculously high. The mention of scholarships and the needs to get THOSE is also mentioned, and honestly this book is heart-wrenching.

To get back to the book, this story revolves around Ariel, a high school senior who is aiming for valedictorian, first-chair violin, and all these other things in order to get into Harvard. We don't actually find out what he wants to do with his future, just that he wants to get into Harvard. I totally think the book could have gone into that mess (wanting to get into a “good” college, but having no idea for a major or future career), but that issue could be a whole other book (and probably is). One thing I thought was cool is that Ariel is bisexual, but it isn't his defining characteristic or something with a lot of drama. It is nice to read a book where people of various sexualities just exist and have to deal with normal problems.
So, Ariel is dealing with this pressure, it is stressful and we can see how it is affecting his mental health. Reading about some of his spirals is so painful, because all I wanted was for this kid to succeed, but everything was fighting against him.
Ariel is also Jewish. I feel like religion is always used as a antagonizing force these days, so it was refreshing to see Ariel get support from his religious leader and it is used as a support system, not an anchor.

There is a slight romance here, but it isn't the main focus of the story. It is cute, lovely, and oh so real. I really like how the progression of it and the problems were handled. Ariel's love interest, Amir, is Muslim and Amir's sister is an amazing college student. So, some even more positive diverse rep here.

Ariel isn't the only one with pressure placed upon him. All the supporting characters have something going on in their lives which just shows how it affects us differently and all the different types of stress high school students (and younger kids) deal with. There is also some mention on the stresses of college (which again, could totally be another book).

This is a slice-of-life book, character-driven and it might not seem like there is much of a plot. It works though, and flows so well. So, if you are looking for a character focused contemporary book with lots of positive diversity which doesn't focus on the romance, this is a book I'd recommend to you.

It's mostly a 3.5.

I have been excited to read this book for a long time because it seemed so adorable and the kind of YA book I would enjoy. And this was definitely what I was hoping for.

The story is completely told through Ariel's POV, so we see everything thats going on in his head and that's not comfortable at all. He is constantly struggling with keeping up his grades and extracurriculars in preparation for his Harvard application and just doesn't have enough time in the day for managing everything. But he also doesn't want to admit his problems to anyone and that just exacerbates all his issues. I will not say I related to Ariel completely but I understood him very well. His character is a lived in experience for many young students these days and we get a very realistic picture of the stress and pressures and expectations that are put on young people and how it affects them physically and mentally.

There is a whole host of characters in the book who are all wonderful and supportive and diverse and I loved them all. The romantic dynamic that develops between Ariel and Amir may come across as sudden, but I kind of enjoyed how realistic it felt as a teenage romance. It has all the elements of sweetness and wonder and joy of young love and I think it was written very well. I'm also very glad that it's just written as two young boys deciding to date and there are no declarations of eternal love. Despite this romance in the book, I think it is definitely more about family. YA books feature a lot of absent/problematic parents, so it was very refreshing to read about completely present and supportive parents and siblings. Ariel's relationship with his mom dad and his sister Rachel is so healthy and amazing. Their dinner time conversations felt authentic, their religion/faith is depicted as an important part of their life but something that's also personal and not something that they use to preach. I obviously can't comment on the Jewish representation but it's ownvoices for the author, so I think it's really authentic for her own experiences. Amir's family is Muslim and Pakistani and it was great to see both these families be very supportive of their kids' sexualities. I also loved the whole friend group - Sook, Malka, Pari, Issac, Rasha - everyone has their own issues and is dealing with them in their own ways but no one really understands what the others are going through because they don't feel comfortable sharing their problems.

This is my first read by the author and I really enjoyed her writing. The book has a very diverse cast which feels very realistic and not tokenism at all. I also liked that it's quite a positive representation and these kids have families and friends who are supportive and don't discriminate at all because of their religion or sexuality or anything else. The author also does a great job of showing us the consequences of our very competitive education system and how it adversely affects the kids. There is obviously no easy solution for this but the book really stresses on the importance of being open about issues and having a support system to be able to cope. Religion is also depicted as something positive that brings peace of mind and maybe provides perspective for young kids when dealing with such life changing issues like college and future - I thought this was very refreshing and so rare in YA.

If you like YA with great diverse family and friend dynamics and an adorable couple, you should definitely check this out. It also has some great representation of the anxiety that young students face in these hyper competitive times, and I think everyone who has been in these shoes before or is going through high school or college right now will find something relatable in this story.

~Follow all my reviews on my blog, The Bent Bookworm!~ You Asked for Perfect absolutely gutted me. Shattered my heart. All the feels.I was not expecting this. In fact, I put off reading this book for a LONG time, because I was so much less excited about it than about Girl Out of Water, Laura Silverman's first book (which is, um, apparently one of those books I meant to write a review for and never got around to...oops). However, since I'm trying to be a good little reviewer – and also, hello, academic stress, I can relate – I picked it up last week.Ariel Stone is the classic, driven, overachiever student. Except he's Jewish and bisexual. Also, he's waaaaaaay stressed out, and despite the 10+ year age difference I can so relate.I used to like studying. That burst of satisfaction when new material clicks. The competitive gratification of finishing a test first, knowing you got everything right.YES! So true! But then there is the pressure we type-A people like to put on ourselves...and the expectations of our family/teachers/friends...and next thing you know, studying is about as fun as plucking your leg hair out with tweezers.If I stay any longer, he'll see what's happening. He'll see I don't understand. I'm not smart enough. I'm an imposter. If I'm going to lose everything I've worked for, at least I don't have to do it in front of an audience.I really just wanted to wrap Ariel up in a big hug. Like, this kid put so much stress on himself, and he cares so much about his family – and, oh, let's not forget Amir, because Amir is cool on his own and he and Ariel together is just adorable. Oh, and his FAMILY! Actually, both of their families...why did I not have relationships like this as a teenager? They are supportive – academically and emotionally. The sibling banter is fun and believable. I liked that the story included Ariel's little sister Rachel, and showed just HOW YOUNG the academic pressure can and does start. It broke my heart, not just Rachel, but Ariel, and Isaac (another young savant that is a secondary character but also struggling).“If it's not important to you, why do you tell everyone I'm applying there? It's all you guys talk about. Like it's the only worthwhile thing about me.” My voice begins to shake. “If I don't get in, that's it. I'll be Ariel, the one who didn't get into Harvard. I'll let everyone down. I'll let you guys down. And I might not get in. I really might not, because I'm not perfect. They asked for perfect, and I'm not.”Ariel really grows so much through this story, even though it takes place over only a few weeks. He realizes a lot of his pressure is internal, and he realizes that sometimes...people are more important than academics. Basically he came to the realization that I wish I had, years and years ago. Realizing that sometimes, a couple of extra points on a test aren't worth missing quality time with family and friends. Oh, and he also got a cute boyfriend out of it, which is always a plus. 😉5/5 stars. Go buy it, go read it, go hug it.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

Senior Ariel Stone is the perfect college applicant: first chair violin, dedicated community volunteer, and expected valedictorian. He works hard - really hard - to make his life look effortless. A failed Calculus quiz is not part of that plan. Not when he's number one. Not when his peers can smell weakness like a freshman's body spray.

Figuring a few all-nighters will preserve his class rank, Ariel throws himself into studying. His friends will understand if he skips a few plans, and he can sleep when he graduates. Except Ariel's grade continues to slide. Reluctantly, he gets a tutor. Amir and Ariel have never gotten along, but Amir excels in Calculus, and Ariel is out of options.

Ariel may not like Calc, but he might like Amir. Except adding a new relationship to his long list of commitments may just push him past his limit.

Where do I even start with this book? How do I even begin to accurately explain to you how much this story struck me right in the heart? As readers, we talk about representation in books all the time. I know that I'm always looking for little pieces of myself in the stories that I read. In this case, Laura Silverman hit the overachiever/stress level through the roof nail directly on the head, and this book didn't just speak to me, it yelled at me. I won't even lie, this will be a super biased review. It's only fair of me to tell you that right off the bat. I loved Ariel, because I understood Ariel. I used to be Ariel. So this book wasn't just another amazing story that I smiled, sighed and sobbed through. This was personal, and I loved every single minute of it.

It's always refreshing to see realistic characters in stories, especially stories about high school. From the moment I met Ariel, and started to really feel the pressure that he was under, I immediately formed a bond with him. Silverman doesn't just explain the type of stress that Ariel subjects himself to. Oh, no. Ariel's feelings, especially his immense need to succeed, are palpable in this book. The chapters where things started to get really heavy, and the supposedly perfect tower that our main character had built for himself began to wobble, I could literally feel the pressure pushing down on my shoulders. This book can, admittedly, be a stressful read at times. If you've ever been in Ariel's shoes, like I have, you might feel slightly uncomfortable in certain chapters. That's the beauty of this story though. It completely immerses you and, before you know it, you're so involved that the pages just fly by.

Now, lest you think that this book is all stressful doom and gloom, I can assure you that there is plenty of levity here too. It's been a long time since I read a sweeter romance than this one, and I have no complaints at all. In fact, you should know that I audibly sighed more than once while reading this. A good sigh, mind you. The contented kind, that happens because what is written on the page is just too perfect and pure for any words to describe. Tears happened during this story too, both sweet ones and sad ones. Much like real life, the events in this story are a nice mix of good and bad. A beautiful balancing act, that never really feels weighted one way or the other. When Amir and Ariel were together, life was good. Things were sweet, and I was a happy reader. When they were apart? Well, you get the picture. Just trust me when I say that you'll be just as invested in their relationship as I was. Oh, and I could gush for ages about all the other relationships that are present in this book. Somehow this book feels too short, and yet manages to fit discussions on familial relationships, and friendships. There's even a look at the way that religion can help a young person really connect to others and themselves.

If I tried to fairly explain to you everything that is wrapped up in You Asked For Perfect, this review would be so long that you wouldn't read it. So, I'll tidy things up and just tell you that it's essential that you read this book. I don't hand out five star reviews lightly. A book has to really strike a chord with me. Laura Silverman's gorgeously written story did exactly that. This should be required reading for students in high school, especially those who are like Ariel and forget about the balance that we all need in life. Read this. Put it in the hands of others. It's absolutely worth your time.